12+Sansom

Urban development is a delicate balancing act, and sometimes we must say goodbye to cherished local destinations in order to make way for a plan that is ultimately more beneficial to the community and to the city at large. One of such trade-offs is slated to occur at 7619 Germantown Avenue in Mount Airy, Northwest Philadelphia, where the Trolley Car Diner is set to meet the wrecking ball, to be replaced by a six-story, mixed-use residential development designed by Morrissey Design. Although the charming chrome, neon, mural, and freestanding trolley of the diner will be missed, the proposal at hand makes for more effective use of the site, bringing significant residential density within a two0-block walk of the Mount Airy Station of the SEPTA Regional Rail and replacing the auto-centric restaurant with pedestrian-friendly retail.

The facade is nearly complete at The Laurel Rittenhouse, one of the most highly anticipated projects in Philadelphia. The tower rises at 1911 Walnut Street in the Rittenhouse Square neighborhood of Center City, just across the street from Rittenhouse Square Park. The tower was previously stated to stand 599 feet feet tall, but recent documents reveal an actual height of 604 feet. The skyscraper rises 48 stories tall, with two additional mechanical floors, and will feature 185 rental apartments and 65 condominium units. A three-story podium containing amenity space will be attached at the north side of the main building.